What's sad is I left work early to watch the game, and almost everyone I talked to either didn't know they were playing, or didn't care. No hockey victory where Canada is favoured will be as sweet to me as watching that inside-the-parker to make it 8-0. And when the ESPN crew started talking mercy rule, I lost it. Ernie Whitt upstages Buck again!

Bud Selig must be chugging bottles of Pepto. As if the Bonds' debacle wasn't debilitating enough. I must say, I wasn't upset on finding this news. Although the WBC is an intriguing idea in embryo, I've often imagined it to be no more than another greed-driven revenue enhancing trick. And in that case, I'm glad it seems to be less than spectacularrrrrrr, for the US, that is.

All I know that is that the Canadian team, the Canadian team!, showed a lot more interest in this game than the Americans. As a Red Sox fan, it was nice to see the effort of Adam Stern (he of the in-the-park home run) who drove in four runs and made what seemed like a billion great catches. For the first time in baseball history, a Jewish Canadian kid was the player of the day.

What? You expect me to give a shit about baseball in the middle of March Madness? It's enough to expect a person to care about college basketball during the meaningless games prior to March, but we thump fans endure it in order to prepare ourselves for a more meaningful March, plus we are more prepared to bitch about the seeding and pairing of the 64. Baseball can wait. Anyway, where are all those canadian players from? Alabama?

This is great -- a slight makeup for the, er, Olympic failings -- but even still, the top story on TSN's Sportscentre today was, yup, Theodore trade. And who gives a shit about US college ball? Not the rest of the world. Thanks for contributing.

I'm just one Canadian, and I'm a hockey fan, and the trade deadline is an exciting time, and this year my favourite team has one of the best chances to go all the way that they'll ever have. With all that in mind: screw hockey. That was a bloody amazing baseball game.

All the World Baseball "Classic" amounts to is spring training for Major League Baseball with, hopefully, a financial upside. Leave it to a bunch of Canadians to beleve that the players (except for the Canadian team) would risk season or career ending injury for something less than a chance at the World Series. 'Eh?

Uh. The Canadian team has some MLBers on it, too. Pretty good ones. Ever heard of Jason Bay? He doesn't play on the Yankees or anything, but he's not bad. You should check him out. The game was great. Canada has totally surprised me with their offense in both games. I had a feeling their pitching would be suspect, but it's been good enough to win. Kudos Kanucks -- they've really delivered some WBC excitement.

Stern was more lucky than impressive: his inside-the-parker was a result of Holliday's injury and Griffey's fear of one, his "leaping" catch was one he could have made standing up 4 feet from the wall (he had time to get there too), and he nearly gave the game away on his bobble on a very catchable ball in the 9th. What did strike me was the fact that none of the US players really care. Thats the impression you get when the only way a team scores runs is on homers: they dont want it enough to manufacture any. If US pitching isnt phenomenal (which it should be pretty consistently), they wont win. On a similar note, has ARod ever done anything worthwhile in a significant game? At least Joe Nathan's curveball and Peavy's location will make the next game worth watching for a couple innings at least.

Leave it to a bunch of Canadians to beleve that the players (except for the Canadian team) would risk season or career ending injury for something less than a chance at the World Series. 'Eh? Maybe it's the hockey mentality here and with Europe, but for the Olympics, many players did just that. You think they didn't want to win a Stanley Cup? Of course they do. But winning for their country matters a great deal too. Maybe not so to Americans in the WBC, where the only fan interest is localized, but you can't tell me that there aren't players -- especially in the central american nations -- that don't care about this. Hell, the players on the South African cared a great deal too. I guess it's just that Americans aren't used to international baseball and it will take some time for it to grow.

All the World Baseball "Classic" amounts to is spring training for Major League Baseball Who are you kidding? Those ball players have pride and honor, and they want to represent the USA with all their heart. Do you actually think they don't care? Just because Canada beat them tonight it doesn't mean you have to come up with lame excuses. The USA understimated its opponent and paid the price, but deep down inside, they wanted the win... Look at how Veritek's determination after closing the gap showed.. same with Lee and the rest... they wanted this game.... But the ball is round, things happen... The ERA of complete dominance is over... Anyone (of the real baseball countries) can beat another any day!!! Look at how the other Major League Baseball players from foreign countries are playing - Dominicans, Venezuelans, Puerto Rico, Korea.... they are playing their hearts out - showing so much national pride - gotta love it - leaving nothing behind. You are telling me the USA players don't care? Bah!!! I don't buy it !!! Wake up call --- basketball, baseball, olympics, etc. --- Come ready to play hard or stay home!

Good for Canada. Loved the linked article. Each Canadian player couldn't say enough about his teammates. They say on any given Sunday one football team can beat another. Whitey Herzog also has a great saying. Before the MLB season even starts (I'm paraphrasing) every team has already won 50 and lost 50. It's what you do with the remaining 62 that matters. Whatever it is, the field of competition, it's great. Fucking minor league Canadiens wanted it, jumped out to a lead, held off the bullies, and are in the catbird seat.

As a Phillies phan, to see Chase utley "pretend" to hit the game winning dinger hurt. All in all good baseball is being "played"? They have showed flashes of brilliance. At any rate we don't have to watch Barry strikeout a bunch.

for the first time i find myself conflicted in my rooting loyalties in an international competition. i'm an american and an orioles fan. all the o's players, 11 in all, are on other international teams, including canada's 2 best pitchers. add to that that team usa is stacked with yankees, who i can't root for in any situation,and i almost find myself rooting against the usa. however, it's still hard to take gloating from our little canuck brothers who seem to take every opportunity to bash the red, white, and blue, on any issue lately. that said, the canadians deserve credit for an impressive performance. if only some of their players could play so good for their mlb teams, especially morneau who i have on my fantasy team.

Why is it that every time we crown the NBA or MLB winners we call them "World Champs", when the rest of the world doesn't look at it like that? What a joke, if we are the best at these sports in the world when are we going to prove it? How about when it REALLY counts like in a "TRUE WORLD TOURNAMENT" of some kind.

Whoever wants Stern's injury caused home run to be the highlight of the WBC clearly didnt watch the DR-Venezuela game... That was a game and a half. It had everything the US-Canada game didnt, and featured a show of why the Red Sox will have a better chance than the Yankees of winning a World Series in the near future. Just look at who is hitting third in each lineup and compare what they did when the chips were down this week: Papi goes yard in the ninth with his team up by one and fading, while Arod hit a blooper that should have been caught with his team down by one in the ninth.

I am almost ashamed to be American reading this thread. To be a great professional athlete, you have to be competitive. Of course, the Americans wanted to win. They just didn't do what they needed to do. Congrats to Canada. USA please beat South Africa. If you don't care about the WBC, then you don't have to read or post in this thread.

Why don't we play team ball anymore? Canada beat us at our own game by manufacturing runs and not trying to hit every ball out, that and cluch pitching. I think I throw my back out watching "Lee" and others swinging for the fence every at bat.

It seemed everything went Canada's way and the US only sort of woke up to the fact that they were in a game after they were down 5-0. Now granted, Canada was as surprised as the US to win this game - they started seven lefties against Dontrelle and had an A ball pitcher on the mound (Orioles fans take heart - the Lowen kid has guts). They were essentially saving their best for Mexico. Turns out they had some fight in 'em for today. The US is learning quickly what Canada again learned in Olympic hockey this year: It's a one game format - upsets abound. I think the US is about to smoke South Africa.

I'm with bperk - some ridiculous blame being placed on the USA team and some nutty comments from Americans. But some equally goofy comments praising the Canadiens. I guess it's just that Americans aren't used to international baseball (lord, if the justification here is little-ball versus home-run hitting ... please, this is 1 game) minor league Canadiens wanted it, jumped out to a lead, held off the bullies, The bully talk is as ridiculous as the USA "supporters" claiming excuses that the American players are just in it for money and practice and are taking it easy so as to not get hurt. Baseball, more than any other major sport IMHO, is ripe for these kinds of "upsets". Pitching is the single-most consistently important factor in baseball. You can have 9 Jason Bays or 9 David Ortiz or 9 Derek Lees (pick a player from any nationality) in your batting order. But, if you have a pitcher(s) that are having an off-day and can't stop the bleeding - you will lose. Pretty simple. It's not like Fairleigh-Dickinson beat Duke, here. A group of professional athletes from Canada played well, and on a day where American pitching was poor. But yesterday does not qualify as a complete assessment of the piss-poor attitude of Americans. Congrats to the Canadiens and good luck to them. And regardless the side of the border from which you come, don't negate their good play by chirping about USA's evil ways .

I think the US is about to smoke South Africa. Hmm, only 20 years too late. Unless someone comes in spikes high on P.W. Botha, it's just not the same. They called him Big Poison back in the day when he was part of the keystone duo in the middle of the Boer infield with his brother Pik "Little Poison" Botha.

Yerfatma... slowly dissolving into... Dennis Miller. On a similar note, has ARod ever done anything worthwhile in a significant game? No. Moving on. Why don't we play team ball anymore? Why doesn't WHO play team ball "anymore?" This is America's first ever WBC team. Who is "we" and when did "we" play team ball?

Is Adam Loewen really the best pitcher that Canada can offer? No, but more acclaimed Canadian pitchers like Rich Harden and Eric Gagne aren't playing in the WBC. That's an affliction faced equally by every team. Look, the Canadian team was never thought to be a pushover. They do have a lot of major league experience in the lineup, which, when combined with a good outing from the pitching staff, can produce a dangerous opponent. But there was no question that the US was a heavy favourite going into this one. Yes, it's March, and yes, most of MLB is in spring training, but that was still Dontrelle Willis getting owned by a lineup of lefties, and that was still a Class-A Baltimore prospect shutting down an American all-star team. It's baseball, and screwy things happen in baseball, but that doesn't make it any less exciting. Leave it to a bunch of Canadians to beleve that the players (except for the Canadian team) would risk season or career ending injury for something less than a chance at the World Series. "We didn't win because we're more worried about the World Series." Wow. Real big of you, there. Of course if they'd won you'd be spouting rhetoric about how wonderful it is that Derek Jeter can sacrifice a potential World Series win for his country.

I wasn't saying that only the USA had good players not playing. But how true is this tournament when the best closer in baseball isn't playing? Where's Barry Bonds in all his juiced up glory. These games aren't taken as serious as some of you would like to think. Bottom line is some of the greatest stars aren't even in it. Not just players what about managers. I'm sorry but each and every one of those players who are pros are worried about getting injured. So they won't play all out. Get this straight Jeter doesn't sacrifice a "potential world series win" for anything. His first and only responsibility is to the Yankees. Yeah this may be fun it may be an honor but it's not a world series win.

It's the first reasonably credible attempt at a truly international baseball showdown, yet it's not a world series win. Funny, no? Motivation, or lack thereof, is not a valid excuse. The will to win is a major part of sports. If the American public and/or players are less motivated than their counterparts from other countries, they have only themselves to blame, and that shouldn't stop others from enjoying this tournament. Note that I said "If". I'm pretty certain nobody on the US team is pleased that they could be eliminated if Mexico beats Canada by a low score today. Weedy nailed it square on the head: in a single-game format, this kind of upset is bound to happen.

If you want a credible attempt at a international baseball showdown you would not do so when all the athletes are out of shape. This is spring training time people. Pitchers aren't up to snuf. There are mercy rules and pitch counts. Please it's more like little league international baseball showdown.

I found this on the front page of the WBC website: "Canada, already a distinctly advanced society, took another step up the evolutionary ladder Wednesday, defeating the U.S. at the American national game." (Laughing.) What the...? His first and only responsibility is to the Yankees. Then why is he at the WBC? Jtrluva, are you suggesting it that Jeter is just going through the motions and dogging it at the WBC? If that's the case, all the respect I had for Jeter is gone... but my suspicion is that you couldn't be more wrong. If Jeter wasn't interested in winning the WBC he wouldn't be there. He would take the "Yankee highroad" and sit out to ensure a World Series victory and appease the Boss. He is at the WBC to play hard and to win, just like he does every time he sets foot on any field.

jtrluva, I agree with you that having this tournament run during Spring training is not ideal. The pitch count and mercy rules should go, and for that the players should be in shape, so Spring is not the right time. Still, the conditions are the same for all teams, so it's a worthwhile competition. I get the feeling you would prefer the whole thing shut down. What fun would that be?

He would take the "Yankee highroad" and sit out to ensure a World Series victory and appease the Boss. Except that not playing in an international competition hasn't helped the Yankees in the last five years. By the way, as I did a search to make sure my data was correct, the first thing that comes up is the World Series of Poker. Oh how far America's pastime has fallen.

Can anyone tell me why you would leave Willis in so long? he was clearly off. I think that the whole game was poorly managed and by blowing that game there's a good chance that team USA won't get out of the first round, keep your eye on Mexico bagging if there up by a run or two in the ninth.

Canada, already a distinctly advanced society, took another step up the evolutionary ladder Wednesday, defeating the U.S. at the American national game. Well, shut my mouth - hey guys, look! Somebody actually noticed we don't eat each other up here. I kidd, but seriously, it is nice to be recognized. I mean, we got phones and everything.

The US team did almost make it a game so I'm not exactly despondent about the loss to Canada (it's not as if we lost to Antarctica after all). And to Bud Lang: Being from the NW, I'm as excited as anyone up here to see Gonzaga lose in the second round of the tournament, but it hasn't started yet and the WBC has. Be patient and all will become clear.

USA goes down in Olympic hockey and now in International baseball. Now bring on International basketball, soccer, golf, Little League, and whatever else there is and we will probably see the same results.

How true of a judge are these games when some of the best players don't play? Last I checked the Best Baseball Players ARE playing. You mention Barry Bonds and Gagne not playing! Haha- I think you are 2 years behind reality.... They are far from being the best now days!

I never said Jeter was dogging it but do I think he will play as hard as he would in the october no. He is a competitor of course he wants to win. Are any of these players as good now as they will be midseason? qbert72 your feeling is incorrect I'm not saying the WBC should be stopped I just don't think it is a true judge of baseball greatness. I'm actually watching it but I'm not putting too much stock into it regardless of which team wins.

legitimate tournament for me? Surley you jest!!! I have to agree with jtrluva. I never said the players were dogging it either. They all like to compete, however, they also want to compete on the biggest stage and get paid big dollars to do it, that is why players like David Ortiz and Mariano Rivera are not still playing ball in the 3rd world. Just so there are no misunderstandings, I think players the caliber of MLB players deserve every cent they get. Be realistic... would you run into the outfield wall at full speed going after a flyball and possibly ruin your multi-million dollar career for a "tournament"? I think not!